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(No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Shet 1. M. MICHAEL & P. W. MASTEN.

GRAPPLING IRON.

'No. 256,024. Patented Apr. 4,1882.

N. PETERS. PholoLithograplur. Washinglon. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M .-MIOHAEL & P. W. MASTEN.

GRAPPLING IRON.

No. 256,024. Patented Apr. 4,1882.

oes v iinre n. #119,

"" y/ZZLIJ7 UNITED STATES ATENT emen.

MUNSON MICHAEL AND PHILO \V. MASIEN, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA.

GRAPPLING-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,024, dated April 4, 1882.

Application filed March 6, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MUNsoN MICHAEL and PHILO W. MAsTEN, of La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe, and in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grappling-Irons Applicable forUse in the Manufacture of Oar-Wheels; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain novel means which are especially adapted for removing the flasks from the molds and the hot wheels from the sand in the process of handling railroadcar wheels.

In the process of making car-wheels it is very important that they should be handled as quickly as possible after leaving the molds, from which they are taken while red hot. One way of handling wheels is by first removing the flask from the mold with a crane, then turning the wheel over from the mold with a bar onto an iron truck. In this way the truck must be taken to the mold, and much time is lost in getting the wheel loaded, besides which from thirty to forty pounds of sand are taken away with each wheel. Another way of handling is by having a pair of tongs with which to lift the wheel from the mold. The sand is then scraped off from the wheel with a hoc, and, as the faces of the wheel are concave, only a part of the sand is removed, and an average of about twenty-five pounds of sand is left on each wheel, which sand is burned, and is not fit for molding.

The following description of our invention will enable others skilled in the art to. understand it.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, showing a flask lifted from the cast wheel and mold by our improved devices. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing our devices suspending a wheel above the sand in the act of removing the wheel. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the wheel suspended and partly turned over. Fig. 4: is an end view of one of the holding-clamps. Fig. 5 is (No model.)

a side view of the same, and Fig. 6 is a plan arms attached to a suspension-chain, E, by-

short chains 1) b.

Each one of the clam ping devices consists of a segment of a suitable length and width, adapted to lie snugly in contact with the tread of the car-wheel. This segment, which is lettered G, has a hook, H, formed on its lower edge at the middle of its length, which corresponds somewhat to the shape of the flange of the wheelB, and which has two hookinglips, cc,w-ith aspace, d, between them, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

At the back of the segmentG is a trunnion, J, having an annular flange, c, on it, and a square tenon,g, extending from it, adapted to receive a detachable turning handle or key, K. (Shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.)

To lift a flask from a wheel the clamps are adjusted on the trunnions a a, and the hooks h h on the bails D D are engaged with the trunnions Jon the clamps. ThehandlesKare then adjusted on the square portions of the clamps, and by means of a crane or other suitable hoisting mechanism theflask can be lifted from the wheel and deposited in any convenient place. The clamps are then adjusted to the flange and tread of the wheel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,'and the wheel lifted free from the sand and turned so that it can be freed from the adhering sand with great facility. The clamps firmly hold the wheel, so that there is no liability of its slipping while handling it.

The wheel is freed from sand by tapping it with a sledge-hammer while it is held in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Having described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination ot'the clasping-segment, the hook, the trunnion, and the tenon formed thereon, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of hoisting-tongs havtures, in presence of two Witnesses, this 20th ing hooks 01' eyes h h, the oiasping-segments, day of February, 1882.

the hooks formed with lips, the flanged trun- MUNSON MICHAEL. i0ns,and means fornttaehing turning-handles PHILO W. MASTEN. 5 thereto, substantially in the manner and for I Vitnesses:

purposes described. FRANK WV. OHAsE,

In testimony whereof we affix our signa- W. B. BOYD. 

